Illinois

The fiber-optic race is on in Lake County (IL), or so declares at least one internet service provider building in the county, with the region proving a popular market that has seen a growing need for broadband internet. While there was a federal-level push under the Biden administration for high-speed internet access to be “fiber forward,” Lake County Board member Jennifer Clark said the Trump administration has shifted focus to include technologies like Starlink.

T-Mobile has entered into definitive agreements to form two strategic fiber joint ventures (JVs): a 50/50 partnership with Oak Hill Capital to acquire and combine GoNetspeed and Greenlight Networks, and a separate 50/50 joint venture with Wren House to acquire i3 Broadband.

The Illinois Legislature has taken several major legal steps to not only improve broadband affordability in The Prairie State, but empower local cooperatives to expand affordable, reliable fiber access to state residents long trapped on the wrong side of the digital divide. Illinois State Sen.

Long a hobbyhorse for futurists and sci-fi authors, the prospect of a catastrophe precipitated by AI has lawmakers asking who would pay for the damage. Wired recently reported that OpenAI is backing an Illinois state bill that would protect frontier AI companies from liability for causing serious widespread injury that affects more than 100 people or does more than $1 billion in property damage, such as in the case of a chemical, biological or nuclear catastrophe.

Midwest FiberPath says it will build a 1,200-mile multi-conduit long-haul backbone intended to support the increased traffic created by artificial intelligence in east-west and north-south directions in the Midwest. It will provide what it describes as next-generation carrier mesh diversity. The multi-conduit design will enable diverse carrier deployments within a single controlled right-of-way.

lllinois State Sen Rachel Ventura (D-Joliet) has introduced legislation directing regulators to set broadband price protections for low-income residents, though the bill text leaves key details to be determined later.The measure joins those in other states, including Connecticut, Maryland, and Minnesota, that have introduced measures aimed at capping broadband prices for qualifying households.

Conexon Connect submits its 4Q 2025 Compliance Report associated with the gap in meeting its December 31, 2024, Rural Digital Opportunity Fund 40 percent interim milestone obligation for Study Area Code 349048 (Illinois).

The company that’s renovating much of downtown Alton (IL) has launched a $25 million citywide fiber internet network. AltonWorks, which already opened a coworking space and has a number of housing efforts underway, is behind the opening of FiberNet.

Marshall County officials, the Illinois Office of Broadband, and Surf Internet gathered at Lake Wildwood near Varna (IL) to celebrate ongoing fiber-optic construction funded through a combination of state and private investment. The event underscored how cooperation between county officials and Surf advanced the Connect Illinois grant project in this largely rural area. Delays had mounted early on as Surf navigated county permitting requirements that require utilities to obtain individual easements or consent forms from every property owner along the construction route.

The Illinois Office of Broadband released the Connect Illinois Round 4 Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program Final Proposal on September 23. The public comment period is open through September 29, 2025, at 5 pm CT. Comments can be submitted via this form.